


Stories and Such

by mrkinch



Category: lotrips
Genre: Alternate Reality, Community: ij porn_battle, Cowboys, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-09-21
Updated: 2008-09-21
Packaged: 2017-10-03 18:59:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrkinch/pseuds/mrkinch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sean comes home with an idea. Takes place somewhere in the American West circa 1869, after <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/39257">Partial</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stories and Such

**Author's Note:**

  * For [therev](https://archiveofourown.org/users/therev/gifts).



> Inspired by [this old photograph](http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/7620/00149by6ao7.jpg).

It was a plain fact that when it came time to drive a few head off to be sold, one man had to stay behind and see to everything else. Sean figured they might take turns but he also figured the first turn was his. Viggo didn't say no.

The meet-up place wasn't far though Sean expected it would take some time to finish the business. At suppertime he was still dickering with the agent so he fetched his plate and cup and they kept at it as they ate, hunkered down by the chuck wagon. About halfway through the meal they stood and shook hands.

The drive would start in two days and the hands were hired and eating at the chuck wagon, too, telling jokes and stories between mouthfuls of bread and beans and coffee. Up at the shack where the agent's temporary office was a fiddle tune leaked into the twilight.

* * *

Sean stabled his horse and washed his face at the big pump before he came through the kitchen door late the following afternoon. He grinned at Viggo as he hung up his hat and Viggo appeared to think Sean's grin was bigger than could be justified but he grinned back.

"Got paid about what we figured, though I had to work for it some. Ballard did us a good turn. If that agent knew the country better he might have gotten the better of me."

"I'll have to look sharp, next year."

Sean put away the proceeds, removed his boots and washed his hands again. The lamp was lit and supper put on the table. A quiet contentment settled in with the darkness outside.

With coffee Sean turned to what had been on his mind on the way home. "Took supper with the hands last night. Learned a thing or two, all those stories and such."

"Lies mostly, I reckon."

Sean laughed but kept on. "More than the stories. A fellow there was fiddling. Been a long while since I heard tunes like that."

Viggo sat still a moment, then set down his coffee, rose and padded out of the kitchen. He soon came back, tapping a mouth organ on his palm and whuffing at it from the bottom. He looked a little sheepish but offered no excuse for the late revelation. He leaned against the door frame and blew a few notes of a song Sean half remembered then switched to something quick that made Sean want to tap his foot.

But Sean had something else to get to. "There was another kind of tune, too." He stood. "I'll show you," he said but he didn't.

Viggo played the waltz all through although the reedy music was at odds with the graceful tune. When the tune ended he stepped into the room to set the mouth organ on the table and Sean was moving too. One hand on a shoulder, one on a back and two entwined. Sean began to hum and slowly they circled the yellow-lit kitchen.

~*~


End file.
